Smedley Hydro

Smedley Hydro
Smedley Hydro building
Merseyside
Former names	Smedley Hydropathic Spa & Hotel
General information
Type	Hydropathic Spa & Hotel
Architectural style	Victorian
Location	Southport
Address	Trafalgar Road, Birkdale
Coordinates	53°37′50″N 3°01′12″W / 53.630631°N 3.020124°W / 53.630631; -3.020124
Current tenants	The UK general register office for birth, deaths and marriages
Completed	1876
Renovated	1940
Owner	British Government
Technical details
Structural system	Brick
Floor count	Five

Smedley Hydro is a former Victorian hydropathic spa and hotel, situated in Birkdale, Southport, Merseyside. The building has been used as a college, hydropathic spa, hotel and its current use as the General Register Office.

Smedley Hydro started out as "Birkdale College" with 47 rooms, for the education of young gentlemen.

John Smedley formed the 'Smedley Hydropathic Company' for £25,000 at £5 a share in August 1876. The company purchased the building for £7,500 and extended the building to accommodate 140 visitors as a hotel. The Hotel offered luxurious facilities to guests, one of which was the Spa which opened a five-acre site on 1 May 1877, and was the first and only Hydropathic Hotel in Birkdale and the fourth out of six in Southport to offer hydrotherapy. The resident physician was Dr Barnado. The Spa treatments were a popular luxury in Victorian times which the Smedley became well known for. In 1881 the Birkdale Palace Hotel was refurbished and was re-opened as a hydropathic spa and proved to be a great rival to the Smedley. By 1882 the Smedley had two wings built, firstly the west wing holding the dining room and then the east wing holding the drawing room which lead to the ballroom.

Between 1924 and 1928, the hotel was closed while the main building had its roof raised to form a third storey and to be in line with the roof of the east and west wings.

In 1932 the hotel became known as the "Smedley Hydro Hotel" and had Turkish and plunge baths, with all guest rooms having hot and cold running water and either gas or coal fires. The hotel also boasted conservatories, a sun lounge and a ballroom that had a theatre stage and resident dance hostesses.

In September 1939 the government took over management of the hotel building, turning it into a centre for the registration of the British population. The plan was originally intended only for the duration of World War II. When VE Day came Smedley Hydro was not returned to the owners, so the building has not served holidaymakers since 1939.

In 1952 the national registration and rationing ended, it was then planned that operations at Smedley Hydro would be wound down. However, the government decided to continue to use the centre to handle the administration for the unique identification numbers (now known as NHS numbers) which have been given to each person in the country under the never-ending programme of national registration. This was the start of the National Health Service.